VIENNA, Austria -- The Eurovision Song Contest has been an annual event since 1956 and was originally called the Eurovision Grand Prix; tt changed its name to the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968; after 60 years, the Eurovision Song Contest is stronger than ever and has been named the longest-running TV music competition, according to the World Record Academy. Photo: Singer Polina Gagarina representing Russia perform the song "A Million Voices" during the dress rehearsal for the first semifinal of the upcoming 60th annual Eurovision Song Contest In Vienna, May 18, 2015. Photo: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters (enlarge photo)

The Guinness World Records' record for the largest orchestra consisted of 7,224 musicians playing a medley of "Waltzing Matilda", "Ode to Joy" and "We Will Rock You" at the 2013 Queensland Music Festival held at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 13 July 2013. The record attempt was conducted by renowned jazz musician James Morrison and lasted for 6 min 8 sec.

Guinness World Records also recognized the world record for the largest music lesson; it involved 2,489 participants, learning how to play the ocarina, and was achieved by Lyrish Ocarina Federation (Japan) at Nagoya Dome, in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, on 23 November 2014.

"The Eurovision Song Contest, for the uninitiated, is an annual competition between top European singing acts -- although first-time viewers might be forgiven for assuming the campy parade of questionably singable tunes is really an excuse to display the latest in ostentatious outfits and wind machine technology," The Washington Post reported

"Russian singer Polina Gagarina's performance at the Eurovision Song Contest - an event described by organisers as beyond politics - has been marred by boos apparently prompted by the Ukraine conflict and the Kremlin's anti-gay attitude," The Irish Independent reports.

About 200 million people watched on TV as the 27 finalists, the most ever, battled it out musically. Approximately 10,000 people followed the contest live in Vienna's mammoth Stadthalle, with 25,000 others crowding the main public viewing venue in front of City Hall,

Beyond Abba, other Eurovision winners who went on to pop fame were Celine Dion and Johnny Logan, who triumphed three times as a performer and songwriter.